This invention relates to games for two players.
Rotating ring games are known from my prior patents, Bean U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,776 and Bean U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,540, over which the present invention represents an improvement. The complete disclosures of these patents are incorporated herein by reference and provide the basis for the instant application.
The invention relates to a competitive rotating ring game device which permits two competitors, by rotating and sliding handles at opposite ends of a series of individually rotatable rings, to compete against each other for the purpose of aligning indicia, such as pre-chosen colors, spaced about the peripheries of the rings.
A rotating ring game of one embodiment of the invention consists of a series of side-by-side game rings mounted for rotation about a central axis. The exposed cylindrical surface of each ring is covered by series of areas of different colors, shapes and/or design, e.g., printed, molded or similarly affixed. Each ring is unique as to the type of game involved, e.g., educational game (letters, numerals, etc.), competitive game and/or puzzle (swords, tanks, etc.) or simply selected colors. The game rings are controlled by two handles, one for each player, extending from opposite ends of the aligned series of rings. An extension of each handle, comprising a ring-actuating member having a ring-actuating tab on its distal end, extends axially within the series of rings from each handle and may be rotated and/or moved lengthwise in either direction by the handle. When the handle and extension are rotated, the tab engages and rotates, by one step, the game ring within which it is located at the moment. Correspondingly, when the handle is moved lengthwise, in either direction, the tab will be positioned to control a different game ring. Each player may, through his handle, control any one or two rings at any moment, except for a ring then being controlled by his opponent. Thus, the player gains control of desired specific ring(s) by pushing or pulling his handle until the actuating tab has registered with the desired ring(s) whereupon he may rotate that ring by rotating the handle. Once the ring(s) is rotated, which may be step-by-step, he is ready to push or pull his handle to shift his actuating tab to another ring(s) in order to make another move.
According to one aspect of the invention, a two player game combining an assembly of ring-form components modifiable by the rotation and sliding of two handles comprises first and second handles separated by a series of rotatable game rings, each rotatable game ring in the series of rotatable game rings bearing a pattern of selected indicia about its circumference, first and second game ring engagement members associated with the first and second handles, respectively, and constructed for engagement with and rotation of selected of the rotatable game rings to align selected of the indicia thereon with indicia on adjacent rotatable game rings, by pushing, pulling and rotating movement of the first and second handles about a central common axis, each of the rotatable game rings being free to rotate about the central common axis and held by a series of stationary spacer rings, and an electronic indicator circuit adapted to detect occurrence of a predetermined desired alignment of the indicia and to emit a signal thereupon.
Preferred embodiments of this aspect of the invention may include one or more of the additional features. Each of the rotatable game rings defines a set of apertures arranged in an aperture pattern corresponding to the pattern of selected indicia about its circumference, and the electronic indicator circuit is adapted to emit the signal when apertures of the series of rotatable game rings are arranged in a predetermined aperture pattern indicating occurrence of the predetermined desired alignment of the indicia. The electronic indicator circuit comprises a beam emitter and a beam detector, the beam emitter and the beam detector being mounted to the game with the series of rotatable game rings disposed therebetween, and the predetermined aperture pattern indicating occurrence of the predetermined desired alignment of the indicia being positioning of the apertures in a line between the beam emitter and the beam detector. Preferably, the line between the beam emitter and the beam detector is disposed generally parallel to the central common axis of the series of rotatable game rings. The beam emitter comprises an LED emitter and the beam detector comprises an LED detector, the LED detector being positioned to detect an emission from the LED emitter, thereby closing the electronic indicator circuit, when the apertures of the series of rotatable game rings are arranged in the predetermined aperture pattern indicating occurrence of the predetermined desired alignment of the indicia. The electrical indicator is a piezo buzzer for emitting a sound to indicate the predetermined desired alignment. The game further comprises a hilt defining a first surface for gripping by a first player to steady and position the two player game during play and defining a second surface for gripping by a second player to steady and position the two player game during play. The first and second game ring engagement members are extensions of the associated first and second handles, respectively, each comprising an elastically flexible cantilevered member having a distal actuator portion adapted for engagement with the selected of the rotatable game rings, the distal actuator portion and the rotatable game rings define cooperative interengagement structure, and the elastically flexible cantilevered member is adapted, upon encounter with a predetermined resistance force to rotation of an engaged rotatable game ring, to deflect radially inward, relative to the common central axis, with disengagement of the cooperative engagement structure of the distal actuator portion and the rotatable game rings and to elastically recover radially outward to re-engage the cooperative engagement structure of the distal actuator portion and the rotatable game rings. Preferably, the predetermined resistance force is created by opposition between the first engagement member associated with the first handle and the second engagement member associated with the second handle.
The first and second game ring engagement members are constructed for selective, simultaneous engagement with and rotation of multiple of the rotatable game rings. The game further comprises first and second externally visible indicator bars coupled to the first and second handles, respectively, and movable therewith in correspondence to the first and second game ring engagement members, each of the first and second externally visible indicator bars comprising a distal indicator portion visually indicating the position of a corresponding distal actuator portion.
According to another aspect of the invention, a two player game combining an assembly of ring-form components modifiable by the rotation and sliding of two handles comprises first and second handles separated by a series of rotatable game rings, each rotatable game ring in the series of rotatable game rings bearing a pattern of selected indicia about its circumference, and first and second game ring engagement members associated with the first and second handles, respectively, and constructed for engagement with and rotation of selected of the rotatable game rings to align selected of the indicia thereon with indicia on adjacent rotatable game rings, by pushing, pulling and rotating movement of the first and second handles about a central common axis, the first and second game ring engagement members being extensions of the associated first and second handles, respectively, each comprising an elastically flexible cantilevered member having a distal actuator portion adapted for engagement with the selected of the rotatable game rings, the distal actuator portion and the rotatable game rings defining cooperative interengagement structure, and the elastically flexible cantilevered member being adapted, upon encounter with a predetermined resistance force to rotation of an engaged rotatable game ring, to deflect radially inward, relative to the common central axis, with disengagement of the cooperative engagement structure of the distal actuator portion and the rotatable game rings and to elastically recover radially outward to re-engage the cooperative engagement structure of the distal actuator portion and the rotatable game rings each of the rotatable game rings being free to rotate about the central common axis and held by a series of stationary spacer rings.
Preferred embodiments of this aspect of the invention may include one or more of the additional features. The predetermined resistance force is created by opposition between the first engagement member associated with the first handle and the second engagement member associated with the second handle.
According to still another aspect of the invention, a two player game combining an assembly of ring-form components modifiable by the rotation and sliding of two handles comprises first and second handles separated by a series of rotatable game rings, each rotatable game ring in the series of rotatable game rings bearing a pattern of selected indicia about its circumference, first and second game ring engagement members associated with the first and second handles, respectively, and constructed for engagement with and rotation of selected of the rotatable game rings to align selected of the indicia thereon with indicia on adjacent rotatable game rings, by pushing, pulling and rotating movement of the first and second handles about a central common axis, the first and second game ring engagement members being extensions of the associated first and second handles, respectively, each comprising an elastically flexible cantilevered member having a distal actuator portion adapted for engagement with the selected of the rotatable game rings, and first and second externally visible indicator bars coupled to the first and second handles, respectively, and movable therewith in correspondence to the first and second game ring engagement members, each of the first and second externally visible indicator bars comprising a distal indicator portion visually indicating the position of a corresponding distal actuator portion.
The object of the game is to align a chosen color(s), shape(s) or design(s) in an axial direction over the playing surface before an opponent does likewise. It should be noted that the object of the game can be unique to each specific version of the game.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.